Apr 6, 2018 2 min read

UPMC Senior Communities recently held a photo shoot for its 2019 Benevolent Care Fund Calendar. The 2019 edition showcases residents costumed as iconic television casts and characters, such as “The Flying Nun,” “I Love Lucy” and “Gilligan’s Island.” Every spring for the past seven years, a caravan carrying costumes, props, lighting and cameras has made its way throughout UPMC Senior Communities campuses. At its inception, the idea for the calendar was to meet a tangible need, but there is a secondary benefit equally meaningful to the residents who participate in the photo shoot. “It’s unlike anything else we have the opportunity to do during the year,” said Lindsey Smithley, senior marketing consultant at Vanadium Woods Village, which is the UPMC Senior Communities independent living facility in Scott Township. “The make-up, the costumes, the transformation and the moment of ‘the big reveal’ when the resident comes out of that dressing room — it creates so much fun throughout the community.” Pictured here depicting the cast of “The Andy Griffith Show” are residents Vito Diulus (Andy), Bill Kozy (Barney), George Henderson (Gomer), Elinor Hill (Aunt Bea) and R.J. Morris (Opie). The calendar will be on sale in the fall at a cost of $10 each and supports seniors in need. For more information, contact Debbie Panei, director of development, at paneid@upmc.edu or 412-864-3524.